


Just Another Day

by Wiipuu



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Flash Fic, Gambling, Mutual Dislike, Supernatural - Freeform, Ten Years Later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:34:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24789316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wiipuu/pseuds/Wiipuu
Summary: Tad Strange was a man who only wanted to continue on normally and go day by day living the status quo. Unfortunately, an old 'friend' has great big plans and all of them involve ruining that normalcy.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	Just Another Day

**Author's Note:**

> Ties into my other story. You don't need to read them to read this.

Tad Strange was a normal man to most people and he liked that, it was something he absolutely preferred. He spent most of his days living what he thought was an 'average life' for the sake of having something of his own. He made mistakes in his past and had lost everything. More than any actually normal person could make. It only takes one huge mistake to lose it all when you live a life playing nothing but games. Even a cheater can fall to another cheater if circumstance demands it.

Today had been a good average day for Tad. He had his bread, he had his coffee, and he had a positive outlook. Most of this day was spent watching people. He enjoyed the show put on by the residents of Gravity Falls. Their lives were a comedy to him. Long ago people had meant very little, the closest comparison to what he saw them as were objects; simple usable things. But now? They were simple but interesting things that were a part of this world he grew to like and appreciate after all his years being trapped in it. Tad enjoyed the people of Gravity Falls. Yes, he actually could even say he was fond of them.

"Hiya Tad, good morning!" One of them said.

It was a scrawny man with a short stature. The journalist Toby. He seemed happy to see him.

Tad blinked, it had always surprised him when people did this. He never made an effort to be likable, but people seemed to like him anyway. He gave the man a very standard 'hello' as the other moved on.

It was dark now, and he was walking alone down the street as the people of Gravity Falls didn't come out this late too often. There was a doorway behind an old restaurant in town. The resturant was located in its more seedier parts. Though, he supposed, the town doesn't really have any truly seedy parts. Tad walked down the cement steps and pushed on the door. Once it was open he was greeted with the smell of cigarettes and the sound of old country music.

The inside of this not very well hidden town secret was nostalgic to Tad. Its walls were lined with slot machines covered in flashing lights, the floors had rounded tables made of old hardwood on top of them. Gently he ran his finger across one of the machines as he made his way down to the bar. Once there he pulled out one of its stools and sat. He then swiveled it around to view the scenes before him. He liked watching people go about their day, but even more so did he enjoy their nights. It was exciting, watching people gamble.

"The usual?" The bartender asked.

"Yes. I would like that." he replied.

The bartender nodded as he filled the other a glass of sparkling water. After this, he sat it next to the other man. The glass made a small 'clinking' sound as it hit the countertop. Tad took the glass and began drinking it as he watched the people around the club. There was something going on at one of the tables. A man had aggressively slammed his face into it and apparently fallen asleep in the middle of the game. The dealer was having trouble waking him up. Tad found this to be very curious. Perhaps it was a drunk? After a moment longer the man shot up and smiled.

"Im sorry, Hah! It's an old body you see! What... what am I doing here? Now don't look at me like that, it's an old man thing. Where am I?" the man said.

Tad tilted his head as he leaned forward a bit. He knew this man, it was Stanley Pines. Now, Tad almost never approached others but he had a soft spot for this particular Pines man. He thought he was the most 'ok' person in this town. That is, when Stanley actually was in town. It had been years since he last saw him. Carefully Tad put his glass down and pushed himself out of his seat. It had been so long, a simple greeting was in order. It would be the 'normal' thing to do he reasoned.

"You're in a casino sir." The dealer replied.

Stan gazed at him for a moment before leaning back in his seat. "Oh? Am I winning?"

The dealer looked away. Something was wrong with the other's eyes, he couldn't put his finger on it but it made him uncomfortable.

"No. Maybe your next hand will..." He replied slowly.

Tad stepped up near Stan, his presence drew the attention of both the men. There was something about Tad, when he walked up to you it was a gift in a way. The reclusive man almost never walked up to people.

"Hello, Stanfor- I apologize. Stanley" He said. Tad was a man of routine and so he occasionally got Stans name wrong. He had been calling him 'Stanford' for years after all.

Stan ignored him and got up. He then said to the dealer, "Nope! I don't think I will."

It was odd, Tad thought as he watched the other pull out of his chair. Stanley never ignored him. Perhaps it was the game? It had been a while since Tad helped Stanley, but he decided that maybe he should today. It had been years since he saw him and he was feeling charitable.

"Stanley, I think I might help you with this one. If you would let me that is." Tad said.

"You want to help? Why would you do that huh?" Stan asked, he sounded irritable but not completely. There was an edge of curiosity to his tone.

Tad sat at the table. The dealer didn't like it when Tad played, no one liked it when Tad actually played. Stanley sat back down next to him a moment later.

"Alright? How we gonna do this then?" Stan asked.

Tad smiled, he was always smiling but it was a more distinct smile now. There was a difference between his 'smile' and his other 'smiles'. He then waved at the dealer and told him to give Stan his new hand. The dealer sighed as he tossed it out. He hoped they wouldn't lose too much tonight. The boss was the kind to blame him when there was a huge loss.

Tad moved his hand over the cards, he traced his fingers across them. Stan watched him do this, his eyes focusing on every inch of their movement. No one else could see it but there was more to what was going on with those fingers and those cards. There was a flame dancing on the ends of those fingers. A green and very familiar flame. The older man began to laugh as he saw it, he couldn't control it. He knew who this man really was now. Yes, he knew who he was. He reached out and grabbed that hand. It stilled on contact.

Stan then turned and looked at the other. His eyes began to twist in a dark kind of excitement that was completely out of character for him.

"I think you owe me something, Don't cha' 'Tad Strange'?" He said in a voice that was so close to something wrong that it ran into the others body and shook its core.

Tad wasn't capable of making a lot of expressions. He never had been. It was just his nature, an essence leftover from his true self. But, he still felt, and right now he felt genuine surprise mixed with a horror that was seasoned with your average everyday irritation.

"Hello Bill." He replied emotionlessly as he pulled his hand away.

The older man in front of him then chuckled once more as he grabbed the others shoulder forcefully. "My old friend, I can't believe how long its been! I actually forgot about you. Completely and utterly. Its because you're so damn boring you know that?" He said mockingly.

Tad simply exhaled as he said.

"I want to go to bed."

**Author's Note:**

> I guess I can continue this after my other story is done. I dunno tho, I don't see anyone really wanting to read what Tad was doing.


End file.
